Bringing much pride onto the Zoroastrian worldwide community, Zubin Karkaria – Founder and CEO of VFS Global, was featured in the prestigious Arabian Business 100 Most Inspiring Leaders List 2024, in the ‘Outsourcing and Technology Services’ category. VFS Global Group is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and global diplomatic missions. The list recognizes visionaries who have redefined the business landscape of the Middle East, honouring those at the pinnacle of leadership and influence – for their business acumen and ability to push boundaries, redefine industries, and chart bold, new courses which drive economic innovation and shape industries.

Headed by Zubin Karkaria, VFS Global, headquartered in Dubai, UAE, and Zurich, Switzerland, is a portfolio company of Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager. With a 30-year plus experience in the travel and tourism business, Karkaria’s success lies in his sharp entrepreneurial sense combined with organisation building skills.

Zubin’s greatest achievement has been the conceptualisation and the outstanding success of VFS Global the world’s leading outsourced visa, passport and consular services specialist, having handled over 292 million applications since its inception in 2001. In 2002, VFS Global entered a partnership with Emirates to manage UAE visa services for its passengers across 180 countries worldwide, its first foray into business with the UAE. This was closely followed by the start of visa services in the UAE in 2007, a network that currently serves 40 client governments through 40 visa centres.

Zubin established VFS Global’s headquarters in the UAE in 2013. In December 2016 Zubin was appointed ‘Chevalier dans l’Ordre National du Mérite’ (Knight of the National Order of Merit) by the President of the French Republic, François Hollande, for his exemplary contributions in supporting French travel and tourism. In June 2022, Zubin was appointed the Goodwill Ambassador of Zanzibar to support the government’s tourism and trade development vision, keeping his extensive experience in tourism development and his experience as a global entrepreneur.